Method of determining percentages and making test runs in milling wheat and other grains.



Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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UNITED STATES OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. POLLOGK, OF DUGOUT, WEST VIRGINIA; WILLIAM M. POL-LOCK ADMINIS- TRATOR 0F SAID SAMUEL M. POLLOCK, DECEASED.

METHOD OF DETERMINING PERCENTAGES AND MAKING TEST RUNS IN MILLING WHEAT AND OTHER GRAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed November 24, 1908, Serial No. 464,240. Renewed March 20, 1914. Serial No. 826,104.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. POLLOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dugout, in the county of Raleigh and State of lVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Determining Percentages and Making Test Runs in Milling lVheat and other Grains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mills and particularly to grain mills wherein it is periodically desirable to ascertain the eiiiciency of the milling operations, the relative percentages of the several ingredients of the product and the output of the mill, and whether each part of the milling system is operating properly.

' It has heretofore been customary in makinga test of this nature, to stop the operation of the mill, empty the various bins and hoppers, after which a given quantity of grain is introduced and the machinery operated until this grain has passed through the several milling operations. The several products are then separately weighed, and the percentages of flour, shorts, and bran may be determined. This necessitates an interruption in the regular operation of the mill, while my, present invention enables this to be done at any time without interfering with the regular operation or making any changes in the organization of the mill.

My invention provides a method of detel-mining at any time the rate at which the grain is passing through the mill, the relative loss in weight due to the cleaning and scouring operations, the rate of the entire output of the mill. the percentages of the several products of the output. and the invisible loss or waste in the milling operation. These and other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates one arrangement by which my invention may be carried out. a

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the wall of a mill which is shown in vertical cross-section to illustrate an arrangement of apparatus for, carrying out the operations abo e referred to.

The 'grainis emptied into the usual chute 2, and is carried by the elevator 3 to the upper story of the mill, and either through the spout 4 to the stock hopper 6, or through the spout 5 to the separator 7, where the extraneous matter such as straw, twigs,'etc., is removed, the passage from the elevator to either spout being controlled by the piv oted valve 4. If it is first desired to ascertain the weight of the uncleaned grain, the valve 8 is opened and the grain is permitted to pass through the spout 9, into the scalehopper 10, after which it is conducted through the spout 12 and by the elevator 14, emptyingthrough they spout 15 into the separator 7, or through the spout 16 to any suitable storage bin, the passage from the elevator 14 to either the spout 15 or the spout 16 being controlled by the pivoted valve 17. After the foreign matter has been removed, the grain may pass through the spout 18 to the scourer 19, where it is thoroughly scoured. It is possible to again pass the cleaned grain to the scale-hopper 10, by way of the spout 20, but ordinarily it will pass through the spout 22- to the elevator 24,

and thence by way of spout 25 to the scalehopper 27, or by way of spout 26 to stockpin 28, depending upon the position of the valve 29. From either the hopper 27 or the bin 28, the grain may be delivered to the 1 grinding-rolls 35. After the grain is ground, the product is carried by the elevator 38 into the bolter 40, where it is separated into flour, shorts, and bran, which pass respectively into the bins 45, 46, and 47.

If it is desired to determine the output of the mill, the valves 50, 51, and 52 may be thrown into the position shown in dotted lines, thus diverting the flour, shorts. and bran respectively into test-chutes 53, 54. and 55, and from the amount which passes through these spouts in any given time. the rate at which the grain is being ground or the output of the mill is determined. As a check upon the result obtained from the combined products, the weight of the cleaned grain passing into or out of the scale-hopper 27 for the same length of time may be observed, and this weight should equal the combined weights of the flour, shorts, and bran. Anv discrepancy in these weights before and after bolting will indicate a leakage sometimes termed the invisible waste. In this manner it may..also. be determined whether there are any obstructions in the system. Again, by my invention the exact proportions of the several products may be readily determined. Let us suppose that it is desired to ascertain how much flour is being milled from a bushel of wheat. From the scale-hopper 27, it can be observed how many minutes is required for siXty pounds or one bushel of wheat to pass to the grinding rolls. Then by diverting the products from the bolter into the test-chutes for the same length of time, the weight of flour received fromthe chute 53 will give the output of flour per bushel of grain, and likewise the weights of the middlings and bran are made known. By this method the eliiciency of the bolting operation in properly separating the several products is at the same time indicated. For convenience in controlling the several valves, I prefer to carry the operating connections or cords from each of the valves to a single location in the mill as indicated at 60, and preferably adjacent to the scale hopper 27. If it is desired to ascertain the percentage of loss due to the cleaning of the grain, the valves 61, 62, and 63 are turned so that the uncleaned grain passing from the stoclnhopper 6 into the scale-hopper 10, is carried by the elevator 14 to the separator 7, and from thence to the scourer l9, and by way of spout 22, elevator 24, and spout 25 to the scale-hopper 27. Now by noting the amount passing into the scalehoppers 10 and 27 respectively in a given time, a comparison of the weights will give the ratio of loss in weight by the cleaning operations.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that my invention provides an improved method of determining percentages of the products in the output of a mill, and an efficient and rapid method of making test runs, and of checking one part of the milling operation by another part thereof. In the embodiment of my invention asillustrated in the drawings forming a part of this application, I have provided a double channel from the receiving spout to the grinding rolls, by means of which a test may 'be made at any time, the grain being diverted at will into one channel or the other. I have also provided a double channel for the finished product, so that the percentages may be determined in the manner above described without interfering with the regular and continuous operation of the milling machinery. The performance of these tests requires no special skill and can be made by any employee, or by the manager or proprietor without interfering with the duties of the miller and, if desired, without his knowledge. It will be apparent that changes may be made in the arrangement of the parts of the mill and in the apparatus employed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The method of determining the percentage of waste in any consignment of grain passing through the usual milling operations of separating, scouring, grinding, and bolting, and without interrupting the mill, which consists in diverting from the normal channel the uncleaned grain of said consignment for a short period through a weight-indicating channel, diverting the cleaned grain of said consignment from the normal channel through a wei ht-indicating channel for a corresponding period, while continuing the supply through the normal channels from the usual grain storage, comparing the weights of said diverted grain, and redirecting said grain into the normal channels.

2. The method of determining the invisible waste in grain-milling, comprising the usual operations of separating, scouring, grinding, and bolting, which consists in divertingthe unground grain from the normal channel into a weight-indicating channel during a short period, while maintaining the normal grinding operation from the usual storage, diverting the products resulting from the bolting operation into weight-indicating channels during a corresponding period, and comparing the weights of the said diverted grain and products.

The method of determining the output of a mill at any time without interruption thereto, and of the relative percentages of the several products, which consists in diverting the unground grain from the normal channel into a weight indicating channel during a short period, while maintaining the normal grinding operation from the usual storage, diverting the several products resulting from the bolting operation into weight-indicating channels respectively for a corresponding period, and comparing the weight of the unground grain with the weights of the several products.

a. The method of determining the per centages in the output of a milling system provided with a plurality of channels for conducting the grain and a series of testchutes which may be connected to receive the several products from the bolter, which consists in diverting into one channel the grain normally passing through the mill, causing the grain to pass from another channel through the milling process for a specified-time, diverting the respective milling products through the test-chutes during a corresponding period of time, and comparing the amounts of the milling products received in the respective test-chutes with the amount of grain passing through the milling process during said period, whereby a test of the output of the mill may be made during the normal operation thereof.

5. The method of determining the percentages in the output of a milling system provided with a plurality of channels for conducting the grain and a series of testchutes arranged to receive the several milling products, which consists in causing the grain to pass into one channel during the normal operation of the mill, simultaneously causing grain from another channel to pass through the milling process until a specified amount has passed from said channel, diverting the milling products through the test-chutes during a period corresponding with that required to pass said amount of grain, and comparing the amounts of milling products received in the test-chutes whereby a test of the operation and output of the mill maybe made during the normal operation of the mill.

6. The method of testing the operation of a milling system without interrupting the normal operation thereof, which consists in conducting the grain into separate channels, diverting the grain entering the system into one channel for a definite period, causing grain from another channel to pass through the milling process for a corresponding time, separately receiving the several resulting milling products for the same period of time, and comparing the amounts received with the said amount of grain caused to pass through the milling process.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL M. POLLOCK, Witnesses EUGENE C. BROWN, CHARLES N. M RRAY.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Iatenta, Washington, D. G. 

